I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to online reporting systems, and more particularly, to a system for providing online service reports to user subscribers.
II. Related Art
The use of wireless communication systems is well known for transmitting information between fixed stations and one or more geographically dispersed mobile receivers. For example, satellite communication systems have been used in the trucking industry for many years to provide messaging and location information between fleet-owned dispatch centers and their respective tractor-trailer vehicles. Such systems offer significant benefits to fleet owners because they allow almost instantaneous communications and real-time position information. An example of such a satellite communication system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,170 entitled “Alternating Sequential Half Duplex Communication System and Method”; U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,274 entitled “Multiplexed Address Control in a TDM Communication System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,926 entitled “Dual Satellite Navigation System”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,124,810 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Automatic Event Detection in a Wireless Communication System,” all assigned to the assignee of the present invention and all incorporated herein by reference thereto as if repeated verbatim immediately hereinafter.
In the satellite communication system described by the above-mentioned patents, fleet-owned dispatch centers communicate with their respective vehicles using land-based systems such as telephone or fiber-optic networks to a hub, otherwise known as a network management facility (NMF). The NMF acts as a central communication station through which all communications between vehicles and dispatch centers pass. The NMF comprises a number of network management computers (NMCs), each NMC responsible for providing a communication path from the NMF to geographically dispersed vehicles in the communication system using a geosynchronous satellite. The geosynchronous satellite comprises one or more transponders, which are electronic circuits well known in the art for relaying high frequency satellite communication signals between remote locations. Each NMC is assigned an individual transponder, with each transponder operating at a unique frequency in order to avoid interference with communication signals on other transponders. In the satellite communication system of the above-referenced patents, each transponder is capable of handling the communications needs of approximately 30,000 vehicles. Each vehicle in the communication system is equipped with a transceiver, otherwise known as a mobile communication terminal (MCT), for communicating message and location information to a pre-designated NMC via the geosynchronous satellite.
In a typical transaction where trucking companies, or carriers as they are known, with the capability and flexibility to transport large amounts of goods to multiple destinations efficiently, a carrier is called upon to transport goods from one location to another by a customer, otherwise known as a shipper. Examples of shippers might include almost any manufacturer of goods. Sometimes a carrier will have a standing contract with a shipper to transport goods that the shipper desires to be transported. The shipper provides delivery instructions to the carrier comprising details of the shipment, including, for example, when and where to pick up the goods and where to ship them. Generally, these instructions pertaining to a shipment are provided to the carrier or its representative (e.g., a vehicle operator of carrier) in the form of a document commonly referred to as a “bill of lading.” The bill of lading may also provide other pertinent information concerning the shipment, such as a description and quantity of the goods being shipped.
However, once the shipping services begin, it may be difficult for the customer, or other interested parties to obtain status information about the shipment. For example, for goods being shipped a great distance, i.e., cross-country, it may be difficult for the customer to determine exactly where the goods are at any given time. Although it may be possible to contact the carrier directly to obtain a status report, this process is time consuming and inefficient, since the carrier must first obtain the information to pass along to the interested party. Furthermore, the information may not be up to date, or may not be complete enough to satisfy the customer's concerns.
In addition, there are security issues to address. For example, many parties may be interested in the status of a shipment, and so it is important that the information be held confidential and not be provided to the wrong parties.
Therefore, what is needed and what has been invented is a system and method that overcomes the deficiencies of conventional ways to report the status of services provided by a business, such as a carrier in a freight shipping business. What is more specifically needed and what has been invented is a system and method for providing online service reports to user subscribers, where the reports contain information customized for each individual user subscriber and that are protected from unauthorized access.